Originally, televisions possessed a simple user interface containing a channel selector, volume control and little else. Since the advent of video tape technology, these controls have been extended far beyond this.
A standard approach to controlling what are now known as set-top boxes is the use of hand held remote control devices using Infra-Red (IR) signals to communicate with set-top boxes and recently with additional devices, often found in home entertainment centers. There have been set-top control units also controlling other devices with this IR blasting technology which are not hand held. To date, these IR blasters have been driven by an embedded microprocessor using an embedded non-volatile memory chip to store the control tables specifying the IR signaling required for communication with various devices. Such devices are now pervasive throughout the consumer electronics of many continents.
However, such devices have some limitations that often cause significant frustration. Non-volatile memory chips used in such IR controllers offer limited amounts of memory, usually no more than one megabit. Such small memories are limited in terms of holding the rapidly growing database of distinctive device protocols in use by the various consumer devices. It is a common problem that a device operating in the correct frequency range cannot generate the necessary signaling to adequately communicate with a newly purchased device such as a set-top box component in a home entertainment center.
Another problem often encountered, even when a device may be able to add the control information to communicate with a new device, is that there is no readily supported mechanism by which that information can be programmed into the non-volatile memory chip.
Another problem encountered is the inability of contemporary IR controllers to select channels located on both A and B switch settings of a set-top box. Worse yet, existing IR controllers are further unable to select channels on these two setting as well as support the C band setting used in some satellite television services.
Another problem encountered in contemporary IR controllers is that different set-top boxes require essentially syntactic presentation controls. These set-top boxes have different responses to signals, often requiring specific minimum delays between digits or symbols being IR blasted to them. Another similar problem comes in the use of enter or cancel keys to delimit ending an IR blasting sequence. Another similar problem is establishing how many digits are expected to define a channel. In each of these problems, variations among different set-top boxes lead to a lack of uniformity challenging the patience of consumers, because today, there is no solution to any of these problems.
To summarize, what is needed includes IR blasting controls not limited to a small non-volatile memory capacity for holding signaling details for various units controlled by IR blasting. What is further needed includes a mechanism or method for rapidly updating an existing IR blaster control unit to incorporate signaling details for new devices. What is also further needed is a flexible ability to support channel selection on A/B switch and A/B/C switch controlled set-top box systems. What is further needed is a method of solving essentially syntactic presentation control problems.